The Japanese started selecting morning glories in the 9th century, and this is one of their most stunning. Ipomoea nil, the Japanese Morning Glory, sports huge blooms with a pronounced milk chocolate colour - a combination of rose and light brown, you can see why is so aptly named. The extraordinary blooms are 12 to 15cm (5 to 6in) wide with a white throat.
This is a show-stopper of a morning glory and a very rare selection indeed!

Some blooms will be completely rose-chocolate and some have a lovely white picotee edge, adding even more interest to this unique variety. This extremely carefree and free-blooming climber will bloom early and load itself with masses of attractive milk chocolate coloured flowers all summer long. In a good summer will reach 2.5m (9ft) tall, perfect for covering arbors, trellises and fences.

Preparation:
Choose a sunny position with moist soil, they cannot grow or bloom properly in the shade.
The seed coating is rather hard, and it will hasten germination if you stand the seeds in tepid water for a day or two before sowing.

Sowing: Sow indoors in late winter, or outdoors in early spring
Sow indoors in early spring no sooner than 3 to 4 weeks before the last expected frosts, and 4 weeks before you plan to plant them outside. Alternatively, the seed can also be sown directly where they are to flower once all risk of frosts has passed. Keep soil moist during germination.

Sowing Indoors:
Sow into individual pots or trays of seed compost. Paper or peat pots are preferable. Use well drained soil and cover to a depth of 3mm (1/8in). Maintain a temperature of around 20°C (68°F) and keep compost moist. Germination will take place 5 to 14 days
Plants are extremely resentful of root disturbance, even when they are quite small, and should be potted up almost as soon as they germinate. Prick out to individual pots, transplant into 7.5cm (3in) pots or trays.
Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10 to 15 days before planting out in growing position after the last expected frosts. Space 15cm (6in) apart. Consider giving them some protection such as a cloche until they are growing away actively.

Sowing Direct:
Prepare the ground well and rake to a fine tilth. If sowing more than one annual in the same bed, mark the sowing areas with a ring of sand and label. Sow 1mm (1/18th in) deep in rows 7cm (3in) apart. Sow seed sparingly or they will choke out other seedlings.
The seedlings will appear in rows approx 3 to 4 weeks after planting and can be easily told from nearby weed seedlings. Thin the seedlings out so they are finally 30cm (12in) apart. Carefully replant thinned plants.

Cultivation:
Remove spent flowers to encourage prolific blooming….and if you do not wish to have volunteer seedlings next year!

Note:
Seeds are harmful if eaten.

Plant Uses:
Clambering up Trellis, Obelisks and Trees. Also for Containers and Tubs.

Nomenclature:
Ipomoea is from the Greek ips meaning ‘a worm’ and homoios meaning ‘resembling’ thus meaning "like a worm," referring to the twining habit of the plant's growth.
The species name nil, is an Arabic name for this species of morning glory and possibly refers to the Nile.
The common name Morning Glory refers to the plants habit of opening its new blooms at the beginning of each day. It is the common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae.
Ipomoea is a member of the Convolvulus family, pronounced kon-volv-yoo-lus is taken from the Latin convolvere, meaning to twine around.